9/21/2023 0 Comments Stardust memories tabs![]() However, meta-analyses, faced with evidence-base limitations, have yielded differing results, and it therefore remains unclear whether or not lithium is efficacious in the prevention of suicide. Lithium is widely believed to prevent suicide, and often used in clinical practice towards that end. citalopram) but not for patients with no history of depression. A recent study concluded that lithium works best on chronic and recurrent depression when compared to modern antidepressant (i.e. There are a few old studies indicating efficacy of lithium for acute depression with lithium having the same efficacy as tricyclic antidepressants. Lithium is one of the few augmentation agents for antidepressants to demonstrate efficacy in treating MDD in multiple randomized controlled trials and it has been prescribed ( off-label) for this purpose since the 1980s. If therapy with antidepressants does not fully treat the symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD) then a second augmentation agent is sometimes added to the therapy. Lithium is widely prescribed as a treatment for depression. The results of different clinical studies of the efficacy of combining lithium with antipsychotic therapy for treating schizophrenic disorders have varied. Lithium is recommended for the treatment of schizophrenic disorders only after other antipsychotics have failed it has limited effectiveness when used alone. A limited amount of evidence suggests lithium carbonate may contribute to treatment of substance use disorders for some people with bipolar disorder. The required dosage is slightly less than the toxic level (representing a low therapeutic index), requiring close monitoring of blood levels of lithium carbonate during treatment. Lithium carbonate treatment was previously considered to be unsuitable for children however, more recent studies show its effectiveness for treatment of early-onset bipolar disorder in children as young as eight. Lithium is primarily used as a maintenance drug in the treatment of bipolar disorder to stabilize mood and prevent manic episodes, but it may also be helpful in the acute treatment of manic episodes. Because the FDA has not approved lithium for the treatment of other disorders, such use is off-label. It is sometimes used when other treatments are not effective in a number of other conditions, including major depression, schizophrenia, disorders of impulse control, and some psychiatric disorders in children. In 1970, lithium was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of bipolar disorder, which remains its primary use in the United States. Medical uses A bottle of lithium medicine containing 300 mg capsules of lithium carbonate. It appears to be under-utilised in older people, though the reason for that is unclear. In 2020, it was the 197th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 2 million prescriptions. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, and is available as a generic medication. Use of lithium for mental disorders was re-established (on a different theoretical basis) in 1948 by John Cade in Australia. Its use in the treatment of mental disorders began with Carl Lange in Denmark and William Alexander Hammond in New York City, who used lithium to treat mania from the 1870s onwards, based on now-discredited theories involving its effect on uric acid. In the nineteenth century, lithium was used in people who had gout, epilepsy, and cancer. Lithium's mechanism of action is not known. Lithium salts are classified as mood stabilizers. The United States Food and Drug Administration categorizes lithium as having positive evidence of risk for pregnancy and possible hazardous risk for lactation. The American Academy of Pediatrics lists lithium as contraindicated for pregnancy and lactation. The use of lithium while breastfeeding is controversial however, many international health authorities advise against it, and the long-term outcomes of perinatal lithium exposure have not been studied. Lithium is teratogenic, especially during the first trimester of pregnancy and at higher dosages. If levels become too high, diarrhea, vomiting, poor coordination, sleepiness, and ringing in the ears may occur. ![]() ![]() Blood level monitoring is recommended to decrease the risk of potential toxicity. Serious side effects include hypothyroidism, diabetes insipidus, and lithium toxicity. Ĭommon side effects include increased urination, shakiness of the hands, and increased thirst. In lower doses, other salts such as lithium citrate are known as nutritional lithium and have occasionally been used to treat ADHD. Certain lithium compounds, also known as lithium salts, are used as psychiatric medication, primarily for bipolar disorder and for major depressive disorder. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |